


Complete the Sentence: In 1492, Columbus...

by chasingkerouac



Series: Pursuit of Happiness verse [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: AU, Gen, Glee AU, Holidays, Kid Fic, Kidfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-20 23:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2447540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingkerouac/pseuds/chasingkerouac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't actually Cooper's fault, even if Cooper was the one who put the idea in his head.  But Kurt didn't regret turning it in.  It's the truth, isn't it?  Why was he getting in trouble for telling the truth?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Complete the Sentence: In 1492, Columbus...

**Author's Note:**

> Also on tumblr [here](http://ckerouac.tumblr.com/post/99877543725/fic-complete-the-sentence-in-1492-columbus)

“This all Cooper’s fault.”

Kurt shrugged as he kicked his legs absently. He and Blaine were sitting in a pair of chairs outside their teacher’s room. Well, Kurt was sitting there. Blaine was only there to keep Kurt company. But he’d called his mom from the office and she said it was okay as long as he came straight home with Kurt and Mr. Hummel when they finished their soccer game.

There wasn’t really a soccer game, but Blaine said it was better than telling her that Kurt was in trouble and he was going to keep him company. He said Cooper called it ‘the Cooper Protocol’, whatever that was. Kurt was just happy for the company.

“It’s not Cooper’s fault,” Kurt said. “I’m the one who wrote it.”

“Yeah, but Cooper was the one who said to Google it,” Blaine countered.

“But it was interesting,” Kurt said. “And I’m glad that we Googled it. Isn’t that something that we should know?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think Miss Pillsbury wanted to know,” Blaine said. 

Kurt shrugged. “Well… I think it was important. And Cooper was right. It’s something that we should all know. And doesn’t your dad always say that knowledge is power?”

“I think that’s on a commercial.”

“Your dad says it a lot too.”

Blaine nodded. “Yeah, he does. Okay, you’re right. And Cooper was right. But you’re not allowed to tell him that, cause he’ll get really happy with himself and then he just wanders around the house going ‘I’m right, I’m right, I’m right’ and it’s really annoying.”

Kurt smiled. “You do that too.”

Blaine’s eyes went wide. “I do _not_.”

“Do too.”

“Do not!”

“What about when Brittany said Lord Tubbington slept in pajamas and I said he couldn’t cause he’s a cat and cats don’t like to wear clothes, and you said that if she said he did then he did. And she took a picture and he _was_ in pajamas?” Kurt asked.

Blaine just looked at him. “But I was right,” he said.

Kurt nodded. “See?”

Blaine kicked the side of the chair absently. “Fine,” he groaned. “But I didn’t get it from Cooper. Cooper got it from me. He copies me on things like that cause he wants to be more like me.”

“Mm hmm,” Kurt agreed. It was easier than disagreeing when Blaine didn’t want to copy his older brother. 

“It’s cause I’m cool,” Blaine insisted.

“The coolest,” Kurt agreed.

“So…” Blaine trailed off. “Do you think you’re gonna get in trouble? With your dad?” he asked. “They’ve been in there a long time.”

Kurt shrugged. “I dunno. I don’t think I did anything wrong. Everyone should know about it anyway.”

***

Burt leaned back in the chair and stared at Miss Pillsbury, his fingers toying aimlessly with the baseball cap he had resting on his knee. At least she’d pulled in an adult sized chair for the meeting. There was a reason his wife came to most back to school nights and conferences – she fit in the tiny elementary school chairs better than he did. Why that was a thing the teachers wanted parents to do was beyond him. “So Kurt was a disruption… with this?” he asked, incredulously.

Miss Pillbury nodded. “It’s just not something that I would expect to hear from one of my third graders,” she explained. “It’s not really on the topic that they were supposed to write about. And actually, what’s concerning to me is that you didn’t read this before he came to class today.”

“My wife was helping with homework last night,” Burt said gruffly. Miss Pillsbury seemed nice enough, but flighty. He’d been in the office at the school on more than one occasion, but those were for Kurt getting a little roughed up by some of the other boys. This was the first time he was in trouble for something in the classroom. “He’s eight, I don’t see what could be so wrong with something that he wrote. Did he threaten anyone?”

She shook her head. “Oh, no, not at all,” she said quickly. “The assignment was to answer two questions in paragraph form for Columbus Day,” she explained. “All of the kids finished the statements ‘In 1492, Christopher Columbus…’ and ‘Christopher Columbus teaches me that…’ I wanted them to be able to relate historical facts and realize how exciting exploration is. And discovery. And all of the kids got that, except for Kurt.”

“Okay,” Burt said. “So if he didn’t threaten anyone, what did he write?”

She lifted up the lined paper, frowning slightly at Burt, before reading. “In 1492, Christopher Columbus... sailed to India. But he didn't get to India. He didn't care, and called everyone Indians anyway, even though they weren't Indians. Columbus teaches me that... if a bully says something wrong many times people will believe him.”

No one said anything for a long moment, until Burt crossed his arms and shook his head. “That’s it?” he asked. “That’s what you called me out of work for?”

“It’s not at all what we were looking for, Mr. Hummel,” she explained. “We wanted them to talk about how he sailed to America, and how if they work hard and go for their goal they can achieve it.”

“But he didn’t sail to America,” Burt said.

“Well, not technically…”

“I mean, correct me if I’m wrong,” he continued, leaning forward now. “But Kurt’s right. He thought he was going to India. He did end up calling everyone Indians because of that.”

“But that’s not the lesson we were teaching.”

“But it’s what actually happened.”

“Those sorts of details aren’t appropriate for third graders,” she said gently.

“So, what, you just want to lie to my kid?” Burt asked. “He was right, and those were pretty complete sentences for a third grader, so in my opinion, he did the assignment and deserves a gold star or a check mark or a smiley face or whatever grading system you have here.”

“But he didn’t complete the assignment correctly,” she tried again.

Burt stood up. “Yeah, he did. And I’m not gonna be the one to go out there and tell him that even though he’s right, he needs to not say anything just to everyone else comfortable. I’m not lying to my kid, and you shouldn’t be either.” He settled his cap back on his head and crossed over to the door. “Oh, and Miss Pillsbury,” he added, glancing back at her. “Columbus was a jerk. I’m glad Kurt wrote what he did. The truth is important.”

Kurt and Blaine looked up as soon as the door opened and Burt strolled out. “C’mon, boys,” he said. “Let’s head home.”

***

Kurt kept glancing over at Blaine, who’d just shrug each time he looked. Dad was asking about their art projects, and how Blaine thought Ohio State was doing, and about their upcoming camping trip. He was talking about everything except for what had gone on inside the classroom with his teacher. He’d seemed mad when he walked out, so Kurt didn’t want to ask him, but if he was in trouble, he wanted to get it over with. Waiting was terrible, and maybe if he was going to be really really mad, he wouldn’t get so mad if Blaine was in the car too. Not that Dad ever got really really mad, but there was always a first time, right?

“We’ll have to go to a game sometime this season,” Burt said. “Maybe me and Kurt and you and your dad--”

“Am I in trouble?” Kurt blurted out.

Burt went quiet as he turned the corner into their neighborhood. “No, you’re not in trouble,” he said.

“But Miss Pillsbury said I wrote something I shouldn’t have,” Kurt said.

“Yeah, well Miss Pillsbury was wrong,” Burt countered. “You wrote something true and she didn’t like it. It’s not your fault that she didn’t want to tell all of the kids something that was depressing. Not everyone in history was a good guy. Nothing wrong with pointing that out. How did you learn that anyway?”

“Cooper Googled it for us,” Blaine said. 

“We told him we were writing about Columbus,” Kurt explained. “And then he said that Columbus was a douchebag.”

“Not a word you should repeat, Kurt,” Burt said.

Kurt nodded. “Well, Cooper said he was a… thing… and we said no he wasn’t, and Cooper said yes he was, and we said that Miss Pillsbury said he discovered America and that was a really good thing cause how else would any of us be living here if he didn’t, and Cooper said she was a liar, and I told him to prove it, and so he pulled up stuff on his iPad and we read it and Columbus was a really terrible guy and I didn’t think it was right that Miss Pillsbury kept saying he was a really great guy, so…” he trailed off.

“I think Kurt was brave to write it,” Blaine interjected. 

“I do too,” Burt agreed. He pulled into the driveway and turned the car off. “Look, boys,” he said, turning around to face them. “There are gonna be plenty of people who don’t like to hear the truth. Plenty of teachers, too. I don’t want you to ever be afraid to say something that’s true. Both of you. What was the last part you wrote, Kurt? Bullies say things enough times until it becomes true? Yeah, well, don’t let anyone like that stop you from telling the truth, okay?” Both boys nodded. “Alright. Dinner’s at six. You gonna play here or at the Andersons’?”

“Blaine just got a new Star Wars LEGO set and we were gonna put it together,” Kurt said, unbuckling his seatbelt and climbing out of the car behind Blaine.

“Alright,” Burt replied. “Be home for dinner.” 

Kurt handed off his backpack to his dad as soon as they were all out of the car. “Thanks Dad,” he said. “For not being mad.”

“I’m proud of you, kid,” Burt said, reaching down to tuck an errant piece of hair back behind his ear. “I’m really proud of you. Oh, and if Cooper’s home, tell him I’m proud of him too.”

***

“Hi Mrs. Anderson!” Kurt said brightly as they entered Blaine’s house. 

“Hello boys,” she said brightly. “How was the game?”

“Fine!” Kurt and Blaine said in unison.

“Good, Blaine, did you tell Mr. Hummel thank you for bringing you home?”

“Yes, Mom,” Blaine said. “Can Kurt play until six?”

“Sure, sweetie,” she agreed. “Oh, Cooper,” she added as soon as she caught sight of the older boy sneaking into the kitchen to rummage through the fridge. “Can you help me with something?”

“Uh huh,” Cooper said. 

“Thanks Mrs. Anderson,” Kurt said brightly. “Oh, Cooper… my dad said to tell you he’s proud of you.”

“Thanks,” Cooper said blandly before he realized what Kurt said. “Wait… what?”


End file.
